| 1. |
- Farrell, William M., et al.
(author)
-
The dust, atmosphere, and plasma at the moon
- 2024
-
In: Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, Mineralogical Society of America. - : Walter de Gruyter. - 1529-6466 .- 1943-2666. ; 89, s. 563-609
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Lue, Charles, et al.
(author)
-
Scattering characteristics and imaging of energetic neutral atoms from the Moon in the terrestrial magnetosheath
- 2016
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 121:1, s. 432-445
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study hydrogen energetic neutral atom (ENA) emissions from the lunar surface, when the Moon is inside the terrestrial magnetosheath. The ENAs are generated by neutralization and backscattering of incident protons of solar wind origin. First, we model the effect of the increased ion temperature in the magnetosheath (>10 times larger than that in the undisturbed solar wind) on the ENA scattering characteristics. Then, we apply these models to ENA measurements by Chandrayaan-1 and simultaneous ion measurements by Kaguya at the Moon, in the magnetosheath. We produce maps of the ENA scattering fraction, covering a region at the lunar near-side that includes mare and highland surfaces and several lunar magnetic anomalies. We see clear signatures of plasma shielding by the magnetic anomalies. The maps are made at different lunar local times, and the results indicate an extended influence and altered morphology of the magnetic anomalies at shallower incidence angles of the magnetosheath protons. The scattering fraction from the unmagnetized regions remains consistent with that in the undisturbed solar wind (10%-20%). Moreover, the observed ENA energy spectra are well reproduced by our temperature-dependent model. We conclude that the ENA scattering process is unchanged in the magnetosheath. Similarly to the undisturbed solar wind case, it is only magnetic anomalies that provide contrast in the ENA maps, not any selenomorphological features such as mare and highland regions.
|
|
| 4. |
- Collinson, Glyn A., et al.
(author)
-
Shocklets and Short Large Amplitude Magnetic Structures (SLAMS) in the High Mach Foreshock of Venus
- 2023
-
In: Geophysical Research Letters. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 50:18
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Shocklets and short large-amplitude magnetic structures (SLAMS) are steepened magnetic fluctuations commonly found in Earth's upstream foreshock. Here we present Venus Express observations from the 26th of February 2009 establishing their existence in the steady-state foreshock of Venus, building on a past study which found SLAMS during a substantial disturbance of the induced magnetosphere. The Venusian structures were comparable to those reported near Earth. The 2 Shocklets had magnetic compression ratios of 1.23 and 1.34 with linear polarization in the spacecraft frame. The 3 SLAMS had ratios between 3.22 and 4.03, two of which with elliptical polarization in the spacecraft frame. Statistical analysis suggests SLAMS coincide with unusually high solar wind Alfvén mach-number at Venus (12.5, this event). Thus, while we establish Shocklets and SLAMS can form in the stable Venusian foreshock, they may be rarer than at Earth. We estimate a lower limit of their occurrence rate of ≳14%.
|
|
| 5. |
- Engelhardt, Ilka. A. D., 1986-
(author)
-
Plasma and Dust at Saturn's Icy Moon Enceladus and Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 2016
-
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Saturn’s moon Enceladus and comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko both are examples of icy solar system objects from which gas and dust flow into space. At both bodies, the gas becomes partly ionized and the dust grains get charged. Both bodies have been visited by spacecraft carrying similar Langmuir probe instruments for observing the plasma and the charged dust. The conditions at Enceladus and the comet turn out to be different, so we emphasize different aspects of their plasma environments. At Enceladus, we concentrate on the characteristic plasma regions and charged dust. At the comet, we investigate cold electrons.At Enceladus, internal frictional heating leads to gas escaping from cracks in the ice in the south pole region. This causes a plume of gas, which becomes partially ionized, and dust, becoming charged. We have investigated the plasma and charged nanodust in this region by the use of the Langmuir Probe (LP) of the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument on Cassini. The dust charge density can be calculated from the quasineutrality condition, the difference between ion and electron density measurements from LP. We found support for this method by comparing to measurements of larger dust grains by the RPWS electric antennas. We use the LP method to find that the plasma and dust environment of Enceladus can be divided into at least three regions. In addition to the well known plume, these are the plume edge and the trail region.At the comet, heat from the Sun sublimates ice to gas dragging dust along as it flows out into space. When gas molecules are hit by ionizing radiation we get a plasma. Models predict that the electron temperature just after ionization is around 10 eV, but that this collisions with the neutral gas should cool the electrons to below 0.1 eV. The Langmuir Probe instrument LAP has previously been used to show that the warm component exists at the comet. We present the first measurements of the cold component, co-existing with the warm component. We find that that the cold plasma often is observed as brief pulses in the LAP data, which we interpret as filamentation of the cold plasma.
|
|
| 6. |
- Fatemi, Shahab, et al.
(author)
-
Effects of protons deflected by lunar crustal magnetic fields on the global lunar plasma environment
- 2014
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 119:8, s. 6095-6105
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solar wind plasma interaction with lunar crustal magnetic fields is different than that of magnetized bodies like the Earth. Lunar crustal fields are, for typical solar wind conditions, not strong enough to form a (bow)shock upstream but rather deflect and perturb plasma and fields. Here we study the global effects of protons reflected from lunar crustal magnetic fields on the lunar plasma environment when the Moon is in the unperturbed solar wind. We employ a three-dimensional hybrid model of plasma and an observed map of reflected protons from lunar magnetic anomalies over the lunar farside. We observe that magnetic fields and plasma upstream over the lunar crustal fields compress to nearly 120% and 160% of the solar wind, respectively. We find that these disturbances convect downstream in the vicinity of the lunar wake, while their relative magnitudes decrease. In addition, solar wind protons are disturbed and heated at compression regions and their velocity distribution changes from Maxwellian to a non-Maxwellian. Finally, we show that these features persists, independent of the details of the ion reflection by the magnetic fields.
|
|
| 7. |
- Fatemi, Shahab, et al.
(author)
-
The effects of lunar surface plasma absorption and solar wind temperature anisotropies on the solar wind proton velocity space distributions in the low-altitude lunar plasma wake
- 2012
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 117:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study the solar wind proton velocity space distribution functions on the lunar nightside at low altitudes (∼100 km) above the lunar surface using a three-dimensional hybrid plasma solver, when the Moon is in the unperturbed solar wind. When the solar wind encounters a passive obstacle, such as the Moon, without any strong magnetic field and no atmosphere, solar wind protons that impact the obstacle's surface are absorbed and removed from the velocity space distribution functions. We show first that a hybrid model of plasma is applicable to study the low-altitude lunar plasma wake by comparing the simulation results with observations. Then we examine the effects of a solar wind bi-Maxwellian velocity space distribution function and the lunar surface plasma absorption on the solar wind protons' velocity space distribution functions and their entry in the direction parallel to the interplanetary magnetic field lines into the low-altitude lunar wake. We present a backward Liouville method for particle-in-cell solvers that improves velocity space resolution. The results show that the lunar surface plasma absorption and anisotropic solar wind velocity space distributions result in substantial changes in the solar wind proton distribution functions in the low-altitude lunar plasma wake, modifying proton number density, velocity, and temperature there. Additionally, a large temperature anisotropy is found at close distances to the Moon on the lunar nightside as a consequence of the lunar surface plasma absorption effect
|
|
| 8. |
- Fatemi, Shahab, et al.
(author)
-
The lunar wake current systems
- 2013
-
In: Geophysical Research Letters. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 40:1, s. 17-21
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the lunar wake current systems when the Moon is assumed to be a non-conductive body, absorbing the solar wind plasma. We show that in the transition regions between the plasma void, the expanding rarefaction region, and the interplanetary plasma, there are three main currents flowing around these regions in the lunar wake. The generated currents induce magnetic fields within these regions and perturb the field lines there. We use a three-dimensional, self-consistent hybrid model of plasma (particle ions and fluid electrons) to show the flow of these three currents. First, we identify the different plasma regions, separated by the currents, and then we show how the currents depend on the interplanetary magnetic field direction. Finally, we discuss the current closures in the lunar wake.
|
|
| 9. |
- Futaana, Yoshifumi, et al.
(author)
-
Corotation Plasma Environment Model : An Empirical Probability Model of the Jovian Magnetosphere
- 2018
-
In: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. - : IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC. - 0093-3813 .- 1939-9375. ; 46:6, s. 2126-2145
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We developed a new empirical model for corotating plasma in the Jovian magnetosphere. The model, named the corotation plasma environment model version 2 (CPEMv2), considers the charge density, velocity vector, and ion temperature based on Galileo/plasma system (PLS) ion data. In addition, we develop hot electron temperature and density models based on Galileo/PLS electron data. All of the models provide respective quantities in the magnetic equator plane of 9-30RJ, while the charge density model can be extended to 3-D space. A characteristic feature of the CPEM is its support of the percentile as a user input. This feature enables us to model extreme conditions in addition to normal states. In this paper, we review the foundations of the new empirical model, present a general derivation algorithm, and offer a detailed formulation of each parameter of the CPEMv2. As all CPEM parameters are of the analytical form, their implementation is straightforward, and execution involves the use of a small number of computational resources. The CPEM is flexible; for example, it can be extended, as new data (from observations or simulation results) become available. The CPEM can be used for the mission operation of the European Space Agency's mission to Jupiter, JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE), and for future data analyses.
|
|
| 10. |
- Futaana, Yoshifumi, et al.
(author)
-
SELMA mission : How do airless bodies interact with space environment? The Moon as an accessible laboratory
- 2018
-
In: Planetary and Space Science. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 156, s. 23-40
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Moon is an archetypal atmosphere-less celestial body in the Solar System. For such bodies, the environments are characterized by complex interaction among the space plasma, tenuous neutral gas, dust and the outermost layer of the surface. Here we propose the SELMA mission (Surface, Environment, and Lunar Magnetic Anomalies) to study how airless bodies interact with space environment. SELMA uses a unique combination of remote sensing via ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, and energetic neutral atom imaging, as well as in situ measurements of exospheric gas, plasma, and dust at the Moon. After observations in a lunar orbit for one year, SELMA will conduct an impact experiment to investigate volatile content in the soil of the permanently shadowed area of the Shackleton crater. SELMA also carries an impact probe to sound the Reiner-Gamma mini-magnetosphere and its interaction with the lunar regolith from the SELMA orbit down to the surface. SELMA was proposed to the European Space Agency as a medium-class mission (M5) in October 2016. Research on the SELMA scientific themes is of importance for fundamental planetary sciences and for our general understanding of how the Solar System works. In addition, SELMA outcomes will contribute to future lunar explorations through qualitative characterization of the lunar environment and, in particular, investigation of the presence of water in the lunar soil, as a valuable resource to harvest from the lunar regolith.
|
|
